A Picture for the Scrapbook
by Arisprite
Summary: Danny never thought that letting Sam talk him into showing her and Tucker his parents broken Fenton Portal would end up changing...or ending his life. My take on the portal accident, Rated K


A/N: So, a brand new fandom...blame my sister, kate-7h, hehe. I don't own Danny Phantom, Nick does.

* * *

><p>"C'mon Danny, I just want a peek." Sam's voice wheedled, her violet eyes large with mock-begging. "I want a picture for my scrapbook."<p>

Danny rubbed the back of his neck, trying to avoid giving in for as long as possible. Sam grinned. She knew she'd already convinced him, it would only take a little more prodding, and they'd be down in the Fenton's mysterious lab in no time.

The three of them, Sam, Danny and Tucker, were sitting in Danny's living room flicking through TV stations, bored out of their minds. Tucker had complained that there was nothing fun to do anymore. They had started high school only a few weeks before, and the homework had piled up quickly, and was currently taunting them from the corner of the room, where they had piled their back packs.

The catalyst to their current conversation came when Jack and Maddie Fenton, Danny's parents had come drifting through the kitchen, idly picking up the various electronics, before putting them back and slowly trudging upstairs again. Danny's friends watched in silence, and Danny worried his lip until the two had disappeared back to the upper level.

"Dude, what's up with your parents?" Tucker asked in a quiet voice.

"Yeah, they're not usually like that." Sam added, glancing at Danny. Danny shook his head.

"They've been that way since the other day. I'm not really sure. There was some invention thing that didn't work."

"What was the invention supposed to be for?" Tucker asked, snagging a chip from their snack bowl.

"What are they ever for? Ghost hunting. It looks like from kind of tunnel, or portal. Supposedly it's a doorway between our world and the ghost world. Reminds me of a sci fi movie. It's down in the lab."

Danny knew as the words left his mouth, that that had been the wrong thing to say, at least around Sam. She had always had a intense, and slightly morbid curiosity, and right now her eyes were shining with it.

"Can we see?"

And now, Danny was trying his hardest not to give into his best friend's pleading gaze.

"Sam, I can't take you down there. It's my parent's work! We'd be in so much trouble." Sam scoffed, but Danny pressed on. "Plus it's dangerous! There's all this electrical equipment, and tools...and..."

Sam had meanwhile stood, and walked over to the kitchen, where the door to the lab was located. Danny sighed, and glanced over at Tucker, who gave him a helpless shrug.

"You're gonna do everything she says, aren't you?" He asked Danny, smirking.

"Don't I always?" Danny said, long suffering. The two boys got up and followed her.

Danny checked one more time to be sure his mom or dad wasn't coming down the stairs, before easing open the lab door.

"Okay, one peek. Then we go back to the living room and pretend it never happened. I'm dead if they ever find out I let you down here." Danny fumbled for the light switch, and the two gasped as the fluorescent light bulbs illuminated the sterile, but haphazard room. There were wires, and unorganized boxes scattering the floor, and tons of shelves and tables piled high with electronics and other various parts. Some things glowed green, and Danny assumed (or hoped) that they were just ghost hunting stuff, not some radioactive gunk that would give them all two heads.

"Wow! This stuff is so cool!" Sam exclaimed, making her way down the stairs. Tucker followed her, leaving Danny on the steps.

"Yeah, man. Why didn't you tell us that your parents had a whole mad-scientist-secret-lab thing going on down here? It's totally awesome!"  
>Danny watched them wander, nervously glancing back up the stairs.<p>

"Okay guys, you saw the lab. Can we get out of here now? My parents could be back at any minute."

"Is this the portal?" Sam was now at the far end of the lab, staring at the tunnel-like construction built into the wall. Tucker followed, and Danny sighed and went to stand beside them.

"Danny, your parents are officially the coolest." Tucker said, elbowing his friend in the side. Danny elbowed him back.

"Yeah, if coolest meant weirdest. Your parents don't spend all their time hunting things that don't actually exist, do they? None of their stuff actually works. I don't know why the government gives them all that money to research."

Sam turned to Danny, another evil-idea look in her eye.

"If it doesn't work, then there's no harm in going a little closer, is there?" Danny shook his head.

"Sam, it's not safe in here. I showed you the portal. We should go."

Sam gave him a grin. "Oh, come on Danny. I just want one picture. Just get a little closer." Danny started to protest. "Sam, no-"

Sam grabbed his hand, and tugged him close to the machinery, ignoring his protests.

"Okay, just stand there." Danny rolled his eyes as he sat back and allowed Sam to take over. "No, wait!"

Danny jumped. "What?"

Sam was scanning the lab, then, apparently having found what she was looking for, she grabbed whatever it was and thrust it into Danny's hands. "Put that on!"  
>Danny held up a white jumpsuit, much like the ones his parents normally wore, complete with a cartoon version of his Dad's face on the chest, except it was in his size, down to the black boots that were in his shoe size. He groaned.<p>

"They have a suit for me...You know what this means?" Danny exclaimed dramatically. "They want me to ghost hunt with them!" Danny waved the hazmat around for emphasis. Tucker and Sam laughed.

"Little mini-Mr. Fenton. I can just see it now!" Tucker hooted, and wiped his eyes under his thick framed glasses. "You should start wearing it around everywhere, and jump in, guns blazing any time someone says 'GHOST!'"

They all laughed. Danny shook his head. His parent's obsession with the paranormal was known all over town. They would just love if he took after his mom and dad's career.

"Well, are you gonna put it on?" Sam asked, holding up her camera. She snapped a picture of him, limply holding the jumpsuit against him. Danny sighed, and began climbing into the suit. It fit snugly, meant for him as it was, and Danny felt like an idiot as he zipped up the front.

"Okay, okay. Take your picture so I can take it off." Tucker was snorting behind his hand, while Sam studied him with one hand on her chin. Danny rolled his eyes, not being able to prevent his blush at being the center of attention, even of just his two friends.

"Will you hurry up, Sam?"

"No, something's wrong." She stepped up closer to him, and ripped the Jack Fenton sticker from the front. "Much better. You can go walking around with that on your chest."  
>Danny grabbed at the sticker. "Are you crazy? Dad's gonna know we were down here!"<p>

Sam held the face out of reach. "No, he won't. You're always going on about how he's totally clueless to everything. No one will know the difference, and I don't want your dad's face in my picture." Danny groaned, his hand over his face.

"Alright, fine. Would you take the picture already." She obliged by snapping one, one which Danny was sure he was making a weird face, but he didn't really care.

"Okay, can I take this off now?" He started pulling down the zipper. But Sam wasn't done yet.

"Not yet." She said.

"Sam..." Danny whined. "Tuck, a little help?"

Tucker, who'd been fighting fits of giggles this whole time, shook his head.

"Nope, I'm just enjoying the show." Danny growled, and folded his arms. Sam snapped another picture.

"Ooh, I like it. All dark, and broody." Sam grinned, clearly having a bit too much fun. "You should go inside. It would be an awesome picture!"

"No, no, no! That's where I draw the line."

She then pouted a little at his disgruntled look. "Come on, Danny. A ghost zone! Aren't you curious? What if it _did_ work? You've gotta check it out."  
>Danny had to admit, the idea was pretty cool. A whole other world, full of ghosts. Err, that is, if ghosts actually existed. The jury was still out on that one, no matter what his parents said. The whole thing was just a bit too creepy. Then again...<p>

"You know what? You're right." Danny decided. Sam gave him a surprised look. "Who knows what kind of super cool awesome things exist on the other side of that portal."

Tucker frowned at him. "I thought you didn't believe in ghosts, Danny?"

Danny shrugged, the spandex suit stretching against him oddly. "I don't. But _if_ it were true...who knows?"

Sam then pushed him towards the portal. "I just want a picture, so get in there."

Danny stumbled in, and then looked back nervously towards the stairs. He was only under the lip of the tunnel, he could still jump right out if his mom or dad came down...

"Smile!"

He gave Sam a weak smile, and then turned to examine the insides of the portal. Wires hung down, and machinery sat exposed along the walls. Danny started a little when Tucker called to him from outside.

"So what's it like in there?"

"No ghost zone yet." He called back, still looking around. "Just machine parts and wires-Woah!"

Speaking of wires, his foot at that moment caught on a bundle that lay on the ground be his feet. He tripped forwards, his hands flinging out to catch his fall against the wall.

"You okay, Danny?" His friends called.

"Yeah, just tripped." Danny pulled back from the wall, getting his feet under him. As he did so, he felt a slight pressure under his gloved finger release, like a button had been pressed and was springing back. A quick glance at the wall showed that that was exactly what had happened. A button that was labeled with the word ON. _Uh oh._

He felt a crackle of static electricity run up through his body from the ground, causing his hair to stand upright. His eyes widened. On switches turn things _on_. The portal _worked?_ And he was inside it! Very very not good!

He started to scramble backwards, crying out in alarm, but the crackle of static electricity turned into a roar of working machinery. Bolts of green energy arced across the walls of the tunnel, and Danny's eyes widened as a swirling green whirlpool appeared in front of him.

Then there was too much energy to see, and Danny was blinded by the brilliant light, he raised an arm to shield himself, when suddenly his back arched as pain filled all his senses. White light drowned out his vision, and all his muscles seized and spasmed. He was suffocating, but he couldn't draw breath. He felt the energy lift him from the ground, twisting his limbs, and burning him inside and out. Finally, he was able to gasp in air, which was promptly let out in a scream of agony. The shrieks continued, though he wasn't aware of drawing enough breath to scream.

The torment was unending.

Finally, _ finally_, the bolts slowed, leaving him slumped in the portal, swirling energy surrounding him, but no longer burning him. Danny gasped, and stood on shaky legs, staggering out, before collapsing.

Sam and Tucker had stared, horrified, as the green sparks of energy had surrounded Danny inside the portal. They hadn't been sure of what was going on at first, but then seconds later, Danny had thrown his head back and yelled in pain, more than they'd ever heard from him before, even when he broke his arm in third grade. The screams tore at Sam, and she fell to her knees. She had killed her best friend. He wide eyes didn't move from Danny, even when the green swirls covered him completely. Tucker was standing silent above her, both of them unable to look away.

_Oh my gosh, oh my gosh... _ her panicked mind repeated. Then-

"Danny!" A figure moved shakily from the green light, weakly stepping forwards before falling to the ground. Tucker raced forwards, but stopped before touching him. "Danny?" Tucker trailed off, then he turned to her, panic in his eyes. "Sam! Come quick!"

Sam's feet moved on their own, and before she knew, she was standing above her best friend's limp body. Or...who she thought was her best friend.

"What's wrong with him?" She gasped.

It was like Danny had been inverted; his black hair was white, while the white suit had turned black. His skin was pale, and ...glowing? He was... all wrong to look at. Tucker stared at her in fear. Then she noticed something worse than weird white hair; Danny's chest wasn't moving.

"Tucker, he's not breathing!" Tucker gulped, and touched Danny's neck.

"He's so cold..." He muttered, then he flashed her another look of pure terror. "I can't find a pulse!"

Sam felt like ice water had filled every vessel and organ in her body. Danny...dead?

She reached out to touch his neck, some vague desire to see for herself, but as soon as her fingers touched his icy skin, she jerked back, her stomach leaping in protest.

"No no no nononono..." Sam pulled legs to her chest, gripping them so tight, she felt her nails rip holes in her leggings. Tucker began to turn him over, some televised idea of CPR giving him direction, but Sam made no move to help him. Her mind was locked in a paroxysm of denial.

She stared at his unmoving body, shock causing the whole world to come to a standstill. Danny was dead...

Danny awoke to the sight of his best friends mouth hanging over his. Tucker was leaning over him with his eyes screwed up, and lips puckered. A startled yelp escaped his lips, Tucker's eyes popped open and widened, before Tucker yelled. Tucker scrambled backwards, gaping, while Danny slowly sat up. He opened his mouth to ask what was going on, and it was promptly filled with Sam's hair as she hugged him tightly. She was babbling, but he understood the words 'dead', 'portal', and 'my fault'. He met eyes with Tucker, who was staring at him like he'd seen a ghost. _What_ was going on?

He rubbed Sam's back a little, awkwardly.

"Um..."

Sam jumped back, looking like she was about to start yelling at him, but then her face changed. Then she was staring at him too, terror in her eyes.

"Uh, guys? What is it? What happened?" Danny was starting to feel a little freaked out.

Tucker was swallowing repeatedly, trying to speak. Sam had tears in her eyes.

"He's still so cold..." She murmured.

Danny looked between them both in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Dude...Danny..." Tucker couldn't seem to finish.

"Tucker, what is it?" Danny said impatiently.

"I- I think you're dead..." Sam gave a whimper at Tucker's words. Danny felt an icy shiver go down his spine.

"...What are you talking about?" Danny said again, staring.

Sam answered, tears leaking from her eyes.

"There was so much electricity, and when you came out you weren't breathing, and you didn't have a heartbeat, and then there's..." She gestured helplessly around her face and head. "You've changed, Danny..."

Danny stared at her, shock freezing his features.

"How...how can I be dead? I'm talking to you, looking at you. I'm alive!" Danny peeled off his glove, pushing a trembling finger against his throat.

_No...no_. There was no pulse fluttering under his fingers. His breathing felt strange, almost...unnecessary. He looked down at his pale, uncovered hand, taking in the translucent skin and slight glow it gave off. Panic overtook Danny, and he scrambled upwards, rushing towards the hand washing station, where a large mirror was hung.

He grabbed the edges of the basin, staring into the glass. But the sight that met him wasn't his normal teenage self; black hair, blue eyes, shy smile. The face that reflected back to him in the mirror was white, skin and hair, with startling green and glowing eyes.

"What?" He whispered, hearing for the first time a slight echo to his words. He touched his face, and then his hands came up to grip his hair.

"No...no, it- it can't be true. I- I'm fine, I'm dreaming...I can't be dead!" He whipped around, sharing the horror filled looks his friends were giving him. Sam was crying, and Tucker just looked shocked. Danny's chest heaved with fear, and he collapsed to the ground by the sink, whimpering, still gripping his head. "I don't want to die..." He whispered.

Suddenly, a bright white light appeared at the bottom of his vision, circling him, and sweeping up from his waist to his head, and down to his feet. It carried with it a warm, heady feeling, so different from the ice that had been in his stomach. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he found himself looking down at his normal jeans and white skin of his arms was back to normal, warm, firm still pale but healthy looking. He pulled himself up to face the mirror again, and a black haired, and blue eyed boy looked back at him...instead of the green-eyed creature he'd been before. Danny rubbed his hand over his face, seeing his reflection do the same thing.

Then he turned around and met Sam and Tucker's eyes again, their faces twisted in confusion, paths of tears drying from their round eyes.

Danny looked down at his hands again, turning them over and over, before placing one hand on his neck. He felt a rush of relief turned vertigo at the steady, if slightly fast heartbeat that pulsed against his fingertips. His breathing was fast, but natural. He was back, he was normal again, but...

They stared at each other, all panting in shock.

"What…was that?"


End file.
